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Theatre Thursdays: It’s Just a Jump to the Left

This is our last Thursday before Halloween, so I feel compelled to talk about this amazing bit of musical theater before we get into boring old wintry November.

I see you shiver with antici

pation.

Are you, dear reader, by any chance a Rocky virgin? Well, let me tell you about this awesome thing. Although there is a stage version of the show, the best known iteration of The Rocky Horror Show is the cult classic film starring Tim Curry, Meat Loaf, and Susan Sarandon (among others, including show writer Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff).

At its roots, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a parody of pretty much every sci-fi and horror movie. Frankenstein, cheesy alien flicks, horror movies where the car breaks down on the side of the road, you name it. It is campy, sexy, funny, and weird, and features some tremendous musical numbers. (The most notable of these is The Time Warp. You’ve probably heard it/heard of it, but let’s have it here just for reasons.)

As you can see from that video, nothing I said in the description does it any real justice. This movie is wild as fuck. I guess the basic plot is something like “Whitebread boy and girl end up trapped in alien mad scientist’s orgy castle because of reasons, shenanigans ensue.” Anyway, just watch it, and be prepared for a ridiculously good time.

But where will you watch it? Well, there’s always the old boring DVD-at-home route, which I guess you can do if you want to be an old fuddy-duddy. What’s the other option, you ask? Well, you know how I mentioned this is a cult classic, right? Well, Rocky Horror is famous for being a movie you’re supposed to interact with while watching. There’s a whole commentary of spoof lines, retorts to on-screen dialogue, and rewritten song lyrics that somehow manage to be dirtier than what’s already being sung about that audiences are actually encouraged to shout at the screen. And yes, I mean a movie screen – RHPS has been in theaters for a record-setting 37 years and, without doubt, an indie movie theater near you is having a midnight showing this weekend (as well as dozens of other weekends throughout the year).

Toss together a costume, hit up a showing, and experience this cultural phenomenon in all its glory!

About Lady Saika

"We lead frantic lives. Filled with needs and responsibilities, but completely devoid of any actual purpose. I say let’s try to enjoy the simple things. Life should be like a basket of chicken wings: salty, full of fat and vinegar, and surrounded by celery you’ll never actually eat, even when you’re greedily sopping up the last viscous streaks of buffalo sauce from the wax paper with your spit-stained index finger. Yes, that is as life should be, Night Vale."

5 thoughts on “Theatre Thursdays: It’s Just a Jump to the Left”

RHPS is one of the best musicals I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. It, technically, even got a “sequel” called Shock Treatment, tho it definitely doesn’t compare. I had the pleasure of going to a participation viewing for the first time last month and it was an awesome experience. There were live actors playing along with the movie and I had a front row seat. Water pistols, beads, toast, everyone dressed up, the entire crowd in a frenzy throughout the film? I never knew watching a movie could be so much fun. And during the Time Warp everyone in the theater gets up and dances/sings along. I recommend the participation viewing over DVD any day. Though the DVD first just to familiarize yourself with it.

I’ve never seen Shock Treatment, but I’ve also heard it just can’t compare to the original. I’ve never been to a participation viewing of the -movie-, but I’ve actually seen the stage version done with participation encouraged, and it was super fun. (And yeah, I guess it’s better to see it first without interruptions, but once you know what’s going on audience participation is the way to go!)

There’s a 25th or 20th anniversary box set that comes with RHPS and Shock Treatment. I was super excited to see the “sequel” but it was a bit of a let down. It might’ve been good if I had never seen RHPS. But I did. And it wasn’t. It’s not bad, it’s just… there. You should watch it. Let me know what you think of it.